Aleph of Vampires
by Loki Palmer
Summary: About 2,000 years had elapsed since the infamous betrayal of Judas Iscariot. Now, as Dracula, he has found himself an heir ... H/HG.


"**Aleph of Vampires"**

By Loki Palmer

**Author's Note: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to J.K. Rowling. This next story is from another of DZ2's challenges, "Prince of the Night." DragonTamer01 was the one to suggest I take a whack at this, and I accepted. I do have some interesting twists on Dracula's background, however. Read on, if you dare!**

**/Aramaic/**

**Chapter 1**

He had waited for an age of about 2,000 years, give or take a century. An immortal existence for him meant that the lives of the mortals who surrounded him passed by him like the blink of an eye.

Mortals – they were so unsuspecting, and so superstitious. He had a hearty, gut-busting laugh at Bram Stoker's book known as "Dracula" – this Irishman had such a vivid imagination! Stoker thought that his origins lay in the time of the infamous Vlad Ţepeş ("Impaler") Dracula, a 15th-century ruler of Wallachia, a region in modern day Romania.

No, his origins were more ancient than 15th-century Romania; they lay in a more ancient time, in a tiny strip of land that most people wouldn't think to look at twice, were it not for the twin religions that came out of it …

**~ALEPH OF VAMPIRES~**

One late night in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin – a judicial council of rabbis – had gathered together for an irregular meeting to judge one of their own, a Galilean rabbi by the name of Jesus.

/This man says he's King of the Jews!/ said one witness, to everyone's laughter.

/I heard him say he will destroy the Temple, and build it again in three days!/ said another witness, spitting in the Jesus's face.

Jesus kept silent. Caiaphas, High Priest and head of the Sanhedrin, said, /Do you have nothing to say to these accusations? I ask you now, Jesus of Nazareth, tell us: Are you the Messiah, son of the living God?/

Jesus looked at Caiaphas square in the face. The split second of silence was tense enough to hear a pin drop. A witness would have expected a thunderclap to sound at His answer, but, though it was quiet, it had the impact of one: /I AM …/

The audience gasped, but He had more to say:

/…and you will one day see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of Heaven!/

A roar of outrage consumed the Sanhedrin as Caiaphas tore his robes in distress. /Blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy; what say you?/

/DEATH!/

**~ALEPH OF VAMPIRES~**

No, this is not the story of Jesus. His story, as told in the Four Gospels of the New Testament, is too familiar to many readers. However, there is a connection between the God who became Man and this story.

The connection starts with an infamous betrayal for 30 pieces of silver …

**~THE CALL OF BLOOD~**

Judas Iscariot came rushing through to see Caiaphas, tears running down his face. /I have sinned … I have betrayed innocent blood ... I don't want this money; take it back!/

Caiaphas shrugged. /What business is that of ours? If you have betrayed innocent blood, that's your own affair. You deal with it! Take your money and go!/

Judas threw the money onto the floor and ran outside. Some distance from Jerusalem, he found a rope, threw it around a nearby tree, and tried to hang himself.

As he hung from the rope, he saw a being standing before him, wearing a black robe. The being's voice chilled the choking traitor to the bone.

/Judas, Judas, Judas, what seems to be the matter? Are you out of breath?/

/I … betrayed … him …/

/So you did, Judas, but it was all part of the Plan of my Enemy's Greater Good. He wants to die – don't misunderstand Me, I will take great delight in watching Him die, but what about you? Do you want to die, knowing what awaits you on the other side? Why should He ever forgive you?/

/Then … what else … do I have … to live for?/

Satan clicked his tongue. /Oh, no, no, no, this would never do! Just a moment …/

He withdrew a flaming sword and chopped the rope. Judas fell to the ground. He looked up.

/Why did you chop the rope?/

/I have other plans for you, but I can't carry them out if you're dead, now, can I, Judas?/ He lifted him to his feet. /I hope you are enjoying these recent gasps of air, because they will be the last that you ever breathe!/

/What do you mean?/

Satan's only answer was to bite his neck. /You are going to live, Judas, as something a bit, shall we say … more. The Almighty made humanity in His image, but now with you as my new disciple, I will make it anew … in Mine!/

Judas gazed up at his Master with blood-red eyes. /How may I serve you, Master?/

Satan's answer was a cold laugh …

**~ALEPH OF VAMPIRES~**

Judas Iscariot, now known as Dracula, had seen a lot in the approximate 2,000 years that separated his re-birth as the first of the Undead and the present day.

He saw the ravages of Caesar Nero as Peter, leader of the Apostles, ended up on an upside-down cross and Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles, lost his head to an executioner's blade.

He saw the deaths of many Christian martyrs in the Coliseum. Whether the deaths were by beast or gladiator, he could not deny the entertainment factor.

He saw the Christians march off in the Crusades to fight off the Muslim foes who had taken over Jerusalem – and though he was no fan of Christians, he joined with them to help. The Muslims came to fear him as an unstoppable terror. The truce he made with the Christian soldiers ended when he witnessed some of these same soldiers massacring Jews. He left the Crusades, but not without leaving a furious bloodbath in his wake.

**~ALEPH OF VAMPIRES~**

At his bedroom in 4 Privet Drive, Harry woke up in a cold sweat. Unless his most recent dream had deceived him, Voldemort was alive in some inhuman form, and he wanted to find him for the purpose of some terrible revenge.

A flash of lightning illuminated the room, and he saw a tall stranger in the corner. He raised his wand.

"Who are you, and how did you get in here?"

The stranger's smile was unnerving. "How did I get in here? The window was open. As for my name, I have had many names over the years, but are you sure you want to threaten me with that wand, youngling?"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't … whoa!"

Swifter than a mortal could blink, the stranger had approached him.

"You were saying?"

"Merlin, I've never seen anyone move that fast, except Professor Lupin!"

"This Professor Lupin … he's a friend?"

Harry nodded. "He's one of my best teachers."

"You may consider yourself good with your wand, youngling, but if I so wanted it, you would be dead before you could fire off one spell to kill me … there is your reason."

"Given the speed at which you approached me, that's a damn good reason … so, you don't want to kill me?"

"No … after all, does the man at the slaughterhouse talk with the cow? Does a lion talk with a gazelle? Who talks with his food before eating it?"

"Touché … so, whoever you are, if you don't want to kill me, what is your purpose of coming here to see me?"

"Perhaps it will be best if I show you … if you will allow me." He saw the trepidation in Harry's eyes. "Fear not … the pain lasts for a moment, but if you can accept me as /your father in blood …/"

He noted Harry's confusion. "Sorry … that was a linguistic slip of the tongue. It's Aramaic for your father in blood."

"Father in blood?"

"I know that James Potter was your mortal father, Harry. Yes, I know your name; how could I not, given the legend that has grown up around you?"

Harry snorted. "My legend has led me into trouble more times than I can count. Asking for an ordinary existence is too much, I fear."

"Yet, in spite of the trouble you have faced, you did not succumb to it, but you rose above it. It seems you have an extraordinary existence as a powerhouse to make your enemies tremble in fear. You are the last remaining Potter, as well as the Heir of Godric Gryffindor. On the other hand, you do not know … the other half of your story ..."

"Go ahead."

Having said that, the Aleph of the Undead bit Harry's neck …

**~DRACULA'S MINDSCAPE~**

"After I left the Crusades with a pool of Christian blood at my feet … as well as Muslim … I made my way to your nation of England. There, I met the Four Founders of Hogwarts … well, to be more accurate, three of the Four Founders, for Salazar Slytherin had left over the Muggleborn argument … though it was not because he was prejudiced against them."

"He wasn't prejudiced against them? That is news to me."

"No, he was not. There was a war going on between the Muggles and the wizards at the time, and Salazar was concerned about the Muggleborns joining with the Muggles, though he would later discover that his fears were unfounded. At the time I met Godric, Helga, and Rowena, they had no reason to mistrust me. I am sure Salazar would have objected to me – if he found out what I was – so the timing of this meeting was, shall we say, a blessing in disguise."

"How could they not find out what you were? You cannot go out in sunlight, or else you would burn to ashes, am I right?"

Dracula chuckled. "No, that is a mortal superstition, though there is some truth to it. We vampires do not burn up in sunlight, but since we are nocturnal creatures, we will weaken and become drowsy if we are out in the sunlight too long. It is similar to a mortal who spends too much time awake at night, since he, by contrast, is diurnal, or, to say it in simpler English, a daytime creature."

"What about garlic, or a stake through the heart?"

"Garlic tastes awesome for a mortal. I wouldn't know, of course, for mortal food and drink have no taste for me. It has no effect of repelling me, though the smell can repel other mortals. As for a stake through the heart – what an imagination Bram Stoker had! – that wouldn't kill me either, but it would paralyze me."

"What about crosses and other holy objects?"

"I am not a fan of those, but, again, they would have no effect."

"What about decapitation?"

"I am sad to admit it, but it does work for killing a vampire. Nobody can live without his head. The other way I know would be fire."

"Do vampires require human blood?"

"It is the most preferred of our food sources. Animal blood will work as well, but it is not as rich – and animals can be easier to kill. Shall we go back to your story, Harry?"

"Yes … so they found out what you were?"

Dracula nodded. "It was a matter of time ..."

They watched the scene, and Godric was the first to speak. "Domine Dracula," said Godric, "nonne solo saguinem humanam bibere necessitas?" (Lord Dracula, you only need to drink human blood, right?)

"Non, Domine Godric … sanguinem animalem bibere possum. Si requiritis, in silva prohibita venari possum." (No, Lord Godric … I can drink animal blood. If you require it, I can hunt in the forbidden forest.)

Helga said, "Sanguinem animalium innocentium tibi bibere prohibebimus. In hac categoria unicornes includimus, quia sanguis unicornis quemquem bibit exsecrabitur. Tibi sanguinem animalium periculosorum bibere permittemus. Nos intelliges?" (To thee We will prohibit drinking the blood of innocent animals. We include unicorns in this category, because the blood of a unicorn will curse whoever drinks. To thee We will permit drinking the blood of dangerous animals. Dost thou understand Us?)

"Vos intelligo." (I understand ye.)

"Hospem eiactare post eum accepisti impolitus est credimus, Domine Dracula. Ut studentes salvi sint, sanguinem horum tibi bibere prohibebimus. Si schola in statu belli est, aut intra scholam, aut ad foras scholae, regnum libertum eliminare hostes nostros habebis, tam justus videbis. Quod proposuimus, accipis?" (We believe throwing a guest out after thou hast accepted him is impolite, Lord Dracula. So that the students may be safe, We shall prohibit you from drinking their blood. If the school is in a state of war, either within the school, or outside of the school, thou shalt have free reign to eliminate Our enemies, as thou shalt see fit. Dost thou accept what We have proposed?)

"Accipio." (I accept.)

They turned away. "So began an odd friendship between me and the Founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin excepted. However, there arose a slight … complication …"

"What was it, Abba? Was it the return of Slytherin?"

"No, Harry, it was not. It was Godric's daughter Godiva. I was polite around the females, you see, for the sake of my friendship with the Founders. I would not feed from any student, of course, and Helga was more than helpful in having some blood on hand …"

He noted Harry's glance of curiosity. "What? You think I drank from her?"

"The thought did cross my mind; it is possible to feed from someone without killing them or turning them, right?"

"Yes, it is possible, but a vampire has to pay attention when he feeds from a human. Drain too much blood, and the human dies. As for turning a human, that requires draining him to the point of death, then the vampire will give of his own blood. The poison in the vampire blood takes care of the rest. It is a requirement for us vampires that the Sire stays with his child – for lack of a better term – to help him adjust. A new vampire without guidance is a danger to both humans and vampires alike."

"So, what happened with Godiva?"

"I fell in love with her. Godric was supportive of the relationship, as long as I treated her aright, and whatever happened, he did not want me to turn her. I agreed with his condition, and I was grateful to Lady Helga for providing blood for me, though I did not drink from her either. I married Godiva, and by the wedding night, that's where everything took a wrong turn."

"How so?"

"Mortals can mate with other mortals without any problems in the process, Harry. If a vampire male mates with a mortal female, on the other hand, and the female becomes pregnant, the baby may prove to be a danger to her existence. We rescued the son in time, but she died."

Godric looked at Dracula with tears flowing out of his eyes. "Solam filiam meam perdidi, et feminam tuam perdidisti. Propter hoc te odiam? Non, amice mi, te non odio, quia mortem suam culpa tua non erat. Filius tuus adoptabo, et filius meus erit. Quid dices?" (I have lost my only daughter, and thou hast lost thy wife. Shall I hate thee because of that? No, my friend, I do not hate thee, for her death was not thy fault. I will adopt your son, and he will be my son. What do you say?)

"Non, Domine Godric. Filius noster sit." (No, Lord Godric. Let him be our son.)

**~END OF MINSCAPE~**

Dracula turned to look at Harry. "This son grew up to be your ancestor through Godric's line and mine, Harry. In a sense of speaking, you are already my son. I knew that the blood would call out to me through the ages, but never has the call been so strong as now. Almost 2,000 years have I waited, searching for someone worthy of all my power.

Yes, Harry – I can read your mind. I know everything there is to know about you. I know how you fear there may be traitors in the midst of your circle. I know how there is one female whom you love, and a gluttonous, Troll-Brained, backstabbing, traitor who wants her for himself. However, he has forgotten one matter: you're Harry Potter, descended son of Dracula, the new Aleph of vampires ..."

"Don't you mean Alpha?"

"Aleph, as in the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Dracula was not my original name, after all ..."

Harry looked into his Abba's eyes and saw a man throw 30 pieces of silver onto the ground, then try to hang himself, but somebody else cut him down …

"You were Judas Iscariot."

"Yes, Harry. Together, my son, We can bring the world to its knees, and as it begs Us to save them, We can look down from our lofty height and say … NO!"

"So, where do we start?"

Dracula bit his neck and drank. When he sensed Harry's body near death, he cut his wrist and said, "Now, drink up, my son."

The Wizarding World wouldn't even know what in the Underworld had hit it when the both of them had finished their mission of chaos, he thought with a cold laugh …

**Author's Note: Another fun start. Read and review!**

**Smiles and laughter,**

**Loki Palmer**

**P.S.,**

**I don't really know that much Aramaic, and only a little Hebrew, so this is why I decided to do the language like I did. The only word I left untranslated was Abba, which means Father. If you want some idea of what the Aramaic sounds like, check out Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" for the scene of Jesus's trial up to Judas throwing away the 30 pieces of silver. The idea of Judas Iscariot becoming Dracula came from Dracula 2000. The ideas about vampires and their abilities come from the TV series "Moonlight": another great series. The rest of the story comes from my mad imagination. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**


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